Chables edwin buech



(No Model.)

0. E. BURCH.

. PROP ELLING'VESSBLS BY EXHAUST STEAM. o. 313,981.

Patented Mar. 17. 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OHA R LE S'EDWIN BURCH, OF PANAMA, NEW YORK.

PROPELLING VESSELS BY EXHAUST-STEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,981, dated March 17, 1885.

Application filed November 22, 1884. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BURCH, of Panama,in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented an Improved Means of Using Steam as a Motor, of which the following is a specification.

The special object of this invention is to provide means to utilize to a greater extent than is now done the motive power of steam in its application to high-pressure engines on land and Water vehicles,

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawings, and then clearly pointed out in the claim.

Figure l of the drawings shows the exhaustports of an engine-cylinder connected with a tube discharging rearwardly of the line of motion. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a steam-vessel, showing two ways of running the tube.

In the drawings, A represents the propeller, and B the shaft which rotates it. The latter has a crank, b, which is turned by the reciprocation of the piston-rod O.

E is an engine cylinder having exhaustports 9 6. Up to this point all is .old and already well known to the public. WVithgthese exhaust-ports I connect a pipe, F or F,which is brought into a horizontal range or line parallel to the keel, and with its mouth or outlet pointing rearwardly or toward the stern of the vessel. In this position the vacuum-force V in the cylinder will force the exhaust steam overcome the resistance of the atmosphere before they can produce locomotion, it is a matter of no small importance to counterbalance this resistance, and thus economize the cost There are, doubtless, times of propulsion.

when the winds and waves will somewhat interfere with the working of pipe F at the stern; but the upper pipe, F, may be arranged on a circular iron railing and readily adjusted to the direction of the boat by telescoping joints. This pipe will therefore always be in order and held firmly to the railing.

My invention is equally applicable to asidewheel steamboat or any craft which is driven by a high -pressure engine. Of course the shorter the distance traveled by the exhauststeam, the less the friction and the greater the amount of the power utilized; hence the tube F or F should be as short as possible and as free from turns or bends as possible.

I am aware that it is not new to discharge air, water, or steam against another fluid for the purpose of forcing forward the movable body from which it was discharged; but I am not aware that means have ever been combined so as to make both thelive and exhauststeam co-operate in moving a land or water vehicle. 7

I am aware that it is not broadly new to force steam against water on either side of a vessel in order to steer, or against water in the rear of vessels for the purpose of propelling; hence I desire to disclaim any discovery or invention thereof on my part; hence I What I desire to protect by Letters Patent is specified in the following claim:

The combination, with a high pressure engine arranged on a land or water vehicle and connected with mechanism operated by its live steam to drive said vehicle, of the tube F F, open at both ends, connected with the exhaust of engine, provided with the cooks e eff g, and having its discharge ends pointing rearwardly of the vehicle, as shown and described.

CHARLES EDWIN BURCH. \Vitnesses:

FRED-A. BRIGHTMAN, O. S. PALMER. 

